Summary Servant of two gentlemen
Carlo Goldoni
Servant of two gentlemen The
happy engagement of Silvio, the son of Doctor Lombardi, with the young Clarice was able to take place only thanks to a circumstance in itself very unlucky – the death of Signor Federico Pozani, to whom Clarice had long been promised a wife by her father, Pantalone dei Bisonosi.
Hardly, however, the fathers solemnly handed the young people to each other in the presence of the maid Pantalone Smeraldina and Brighella, the owner of the hotel, as from nowhere appeared the bright little fellow, to everyone’s amazement, who called himself Trufaldino from Bergamo, the servant of Turinza Federigo Pozani. At first, they did not believe him-so sure sources told of Federigo’s death, and the friendly assurances that his master had died, even forced Trufaldino to run to the street to make sure whether he was alive. But when Federigo himself appeared and showed Pantalone letters addressed to him by common acquaintances,
Only Brighella, before moving to Venice for several years lived in Turin, immediately recognized in a stranger disguised as a man’s dress sister Federigo – Beatrice Rasponie. But she begged him not to reveal her secrets until the time, in support of the request, promising Brighella ten doubles for silence. A little later, seizing the moment, Beatrice told him that her brother had actually died in a duel at the hands of Florindo Aretusi; Beatrice and Florindo have long been in love, but for some reason Federigo was strongly against their marriage. After the fight Florindo was forced to flee Turin, Beatrice followed him in the hope of finding and helping with money – Pantalone just owed her deceased brother a round sum.
Trufaldino wondered how to have dinner sooner and more potently, when he suddenly turned up the case of Florindo Aretusi, who had just arrived in Venice. Tom liked the quick-witted fellow, and he asked if Trufaldino wished to become his servant. Judging that the two salaries are
Beatrice stopped at the same hotel and also first of all sent Trufaldino for letters addressed to Federigo or Beatrice Rasponie. He did not have time to leave the hotel, as he was stopped by the tormented jealousy of Silvio and demanded to call the master. Trufaldino, of course, did not specify which one, and called the first one – Florindo. They did not know each other with Silvio, but Florindo’s conversation was starting to confuse him: Federico is Dispute and is in Venice.
At the post of Trufaldino, three letters were handed, and not all of them were intended by Florindo. Therefore, without knowing how to read, he invented a story about a friend named Pasquale, also a servant who asked to take the letters for his master, whose name he, Trufaldino, forgot. One of the letters was sent to Beatrice from Turin by her old faithful servant – having unsealed it, Florindo found out that his beloved, disguised as a man, went to Venice for him. Extremely agitated, he gave Trufaldino a letter and ordered, at all costs, to find this Pasquale himself.
Beatrice was very unhappy, having received an important letter printed, but Trufaldino was able to speak her teeth, again referring to the notorious Pasquale. In the meantime, Pantalone was burning with the desire to give her for her, that is, for the federigo, Clarice, although her daughter begged him not to be so cruel. Beatrice regretted the girl: having remained face to face with her, she opened Clarice, that she was not Federigo, but at the same time she took an oath to remain silent. Pleased with the fact that after seeing him alone his daughter looked exceptionally pleased, Pantalone decided to schedule a wedding just the next day.
Dr. Lombardi tried to persuade Pantalone in reality that the engagements of Silvio and Clarice were by strict logical arguments, in Latin, giving the basic principles of law, but all is in vain. Silvio in conversation with the failed father-in-law was more resolute, even harsh and eventually grabbed his sword. It would have been bad for Pantalone here, if Beatrice did not happen to be around, who stood up for him with a sword in her hand. After a short struggle, she pushed Silvio to the ground and already put a blade to his chest, when Clarice rushed between her and Silvio.
Silvio, however, immediately announced to his lover that he did not want to see her after she had been alone with the other for so long. No matter how hard Clarice tried to convince him that she was still loyal to him, her lips were bound by a vow of silence. In desperation, she grabbed her sword, wanting to stab herself, but Silvio found her rush an empty comedy, and only Smeraldina’s intervention saved the girl’s life.
Beatrice, meanwhile, ordered Trufaldino to order a big dinner for her and Pantalone, and before that, to hide in the trunk a bill for four thousand scantos. Directions about dinner Trufaldino had long been waiting for from both of his masters and at last he had waited at least from one: he vividly discussed the menu with Brighella, the question of serving was more complicated and thinner, so it was necessary to clearly visualize the location of the dishes on the table – torn to pieces, representing this or that dish.
The benefit of the bill was from Pantalone – he immediately agreed to rewrite it. Trufaldino did not start shoveling, but instead ordered him to serve as a slacker at dinner. Then Florindo appeared on his head and ordered him to cover himself in a room next to the one where Beatrice and Pantalone had dined. Trufaldino had to sweat, serving at once behind two tables, but he did not lose heart, consoled by the thought that, after having worked for two, he would eat for four.
With the gentlemen, everything went quietly, and Trufaldino sat down for a well-deserved plentiful meal, from which Smeraldin tore him, which brought to Beatrice a note from Clarice. Trufuddino had long ago put an eye on a pretty little servant, but before that he had not had a chance to have a good time with her. Then they sincerely sang out and somehow opened the note between Clarice, which they still could not read.
Having already received the second letter printed, Beatrice was angry and made Truballydino a good stick. when he saw this execution from the window, Florindo wanted to figure out who was daring to slap his servant. When he went out into the street, Beatrice had already retired, and Trufaldino had thought up such an unfortunate explanation that Florindo nailed him with the same stick – for cowardice.
Comforting himself with the consideration that a double dinner still fully redeems the double wounds, Trufaldino pulled two master’s chests onto the balcony, in order to ventilate and clean the dress, – the chests looked like two drops of water, so he immediately forgot where. When Florindo ordered a black coat, Trufaldino pulled him out of the trunk of Beatrice. Imagine the astonishment of a young man who found in his pocket his own portrait, which he once gave to his beloved. In response to puzzled inquiries, Florindo Trufaldino lied that the portrait came from his former owner, who died a week ago. Florindo was desperate – after all, this master could only be disguised as a man Beatrice.
Then, accompanied by Pantalone, Beatrice came and, wanting to check some accounts, asked Trufaldino her memorable book; he brought the book from the chest Florindo. The origin of this book, he explained in a proven way: they say, he had a host named Florindo Areutusi, who died last week… Beatrice was struck by his words: she bitterly mourned, already not even caring about secrecy.
Her woeful monologue persuaded Pantalone that Federigo Pozani was actually dead, and before him was his disguised sister, and he immediately ran to tell this joyous news to inconsolable Silvio. As soon as Pantalone retired, Florindo and Beatrice each of her room went into the room with daggers in their hands and with the obvious intention to deprive themselves of a shabby life. This intention would have been fulfilled, they did not suddenly notice each other – they had only to drop their daggers and rush into the desired embrace.
When the first delights were over, the lovers wanted to properly punish the scam-servants, their chatter almost brought them to suicide. Trufaldino, and this time he ducked out, after singing Florindo about his unlucky friend Pasquale, who was in the service of Signor Beatrice, and Beatrice – about the stupid Pasquale, the servant of Signor Florindo; Both of them begged to treat Pasquale’s fault with condescension.
Meanwhile, Pantalone, Doctor Lombardi and Smeraldine of great work had to reconcile Silvio and Clarice, ragged at each other, but in the end their work was crowned with success – the young people embraced and kissed.
Everything seemed to be settled, it was going to two weddings, but then another, last, misunderstanding was formed through the fault of the servants: Smeraldina asked Clarice to woo her for the servant of Signor Beatrice; Trufaldino did not know about this and for his part persuaded Florindo to ask Pantalone Smeraldin for him as his wife. It was like two different contenders for the hand of one servant. The desire to connect destiny with Smeraldina nevertheless forced Trufaldino to admit that he served at once to two masters, that no such Pasquale existed and he alone, thus, was to blame for everything. But contrary to the fears of Trufuddino, he was forgiven for all the joys and did not punish him with sticks.
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)